The depth chart: How is your club placed?Jennifer Phelan
afl.com.au
Sep 12, 2018List changes: Ben Griffiths and Shaun Hampson have retired while Anthony Miles, Sam Lloyd, Corey Ellis and Jacob Townsend are among the uncontracted players with uncertain futures.
DEFENDERSKey defenders: David Astbury, Noah Balta, Ryan Garthwaite, Dylan Grimes, Ben Miller, Alex Rance
General defenders: Nathan Broad, Derek Eggmolesse-Smith, Brandon Ellis, Bachar Houli, Oleg Markov, Patrick Naish, Jayden Short, Nick Vlastuin
Summary: The backline is in good shape. It's hard to argue with the combination of Rance, Grimes and Astbury, with Vlastuin, Broad and Ellis there to do the grunt work and Short and Houli to run the ball out. Garthwaite is coming along and Balta – who can play at both ends – showed plenty of promise in the VFL this year.
MIDFIELDERSMidfielders: Reece Conca, Trent Cotchin, Corey Ellis, Jack Graham, Shaun Grigg, Kane Lambert, Sam Lloyd, Dustin Martin, Kamdyn McIntosh, Connor Menadue, Anthony Miles, Dion Prestia
Ruckmen: Callum Coleman-Jones, Toby Nankervis, Ivan Soldo
Summary: Midfield likewise, although Miles and probably Lloyd will move on, which will reduce their depth. But there's a good mix of inside and outside talent, with Conca becoming more of a midfielder this season and Lambert going to another level.
FORWARDSMidfielder/forwards: Liam Baker, Nathan Drummond, Shane Edwards, Jack Higgins
General forwards: Shai Bolton, Dan Butler, Josh Caddy, Jason Castagna, Mabior Chol, Daniel Rioli, Tyson Stengle, Jacob Townsend
Key forwards: Callum Moore, Jack Riewoldt
Summary: They've got a glut of small forwards, which will likely see one or two squeezed out. Higgins is a find, while Rioli is back to his best after missing half the year with a broken foot. Riewoldt was All Australian and won the Coleman Medal while Moore played six games. The big talking point is how Tom Lynch will fit into this structure if, as expected, he makes Punt Road his home.
CONCLUSIONThey're the premiers for a reason: there are no glaring deficiencies on their list. They clearly want an heir apparent for Riewoldt, which is where Lynch comes in. After losing two talls this year, another ruck wouldn't hurt either.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-09-12/the-depth-chart-how-is-your-club-placed